A Star In Disguise

Her gaze darted to the entrance, where five girls rushed in, their faces flushed with excitement.

"Did he come in here?" one of them asked breathlessly, looking around the café with wide eyes.

"I saw him! He was wearing a black cap," another whispered urgently. "He definitely came in here."

Hana's eyes flicked back to the man crouched behind the counter. Of all people—of course it had to be him. Her jaw clenched as she straightened up, plastering on a polite smile.

"Welcome! How can I help you?"

One of the girls stepped forward, gripping her phone tightly. "Um, sorry, but did you see someone come in here?" she asked, her voice shaky with excitement. "A guy wearing a black cap and a jacket?"

Hana hesitated for half a second, her mind racing. "A black cap?" she repeated, feigning confusion. "I don't think so. It's been pretty quiet here today."

The girls exchanged uncertain glances, clearly not convinced.

"Are you sure?" another asked. "He was running this way. I swear we saw him."

Jiwon, catching onto the situation, quickly stepped in. "Maybe you're thinking of the café down the street. It's a lot busier, so he might've gone in there instead."

Hana nodded. "Yeah, you should check there. It's just a couple of minutes away."

The group of fans looked disappointed but murmured their thanks before hurrying out, their voices fading as they speculated about where their idol could have gone.

The moment the door closed behind the fans, Hana crouched down, glaring at the man hiding behind the counter. "Yah, Kai! What are you doing here? This is a café, not your personal hideout."

Kai tilted his cap slightly upward, revealing more of his face. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he met her annoyed gaze. "Ah, so you do know who I am," he said, his voice calm yet smug.

Before Hana could reply, Jiwon gasped audibly from behind her. "Kai?" she stammered, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes darted between Hana and the man. "Did you just say... Kai? Like... Kai the idol?"

Kai chose that exact moment to rise to his full height, his cap casting a shadow over his sharp features. With a casual shrug of his jacket, he straightened up, the confident aura of a celebrity practically radiating off him.

Jiwon's jaw dropped further as she stared in awe. "Oh my God," she whispered, barely able to contain her excitement. "It's really him! Kai from Lumina!"

Hana rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in exasperation. "Daebak," she muttered sarcastically. "Yes, it's him. The great Kai, hiding behind our counter like a scared cat."

Kai glanced at Hana, the faintest glint of amusement in his eyes, as if to say, And yet here I am, still more impressive than anyone else in the room.

Jiwon, however, was oblivious to their silent exchange, her excitement bubbling over. "I can't believe this! Kai, in our café!"

"Relax," Hana said, waving a hand dismissively. "He's not some magical creature. He's just a guy who decided to barge in and hide here."

Kai smirked, his gaze flicking back to Hana "I'm starting to think you're the only person in this city who isn't thrilled to see me." He muttered, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper.

"And I'm starting to think you're overestimating how much I care," Hana shot back. "Now, are you going to explain yourself, or should I call my manager?"

Kai smirked, leaning casually against the counter as he adjusted his cap, clearly enjoying the tension in the air.

"You know," he drawled, his tone laced with amusement, "I'm pretty sure your manager would be thrilled to have me here. Maybe even slap my face on the café's social media—'Lumina's Kai loves our coffee.' Sounds like free marketing, don't you think?"

Hana's jaw clenched as she glared at him. "Really?Are you this full of yourself all the time, or is it just today?"

Jiwon, still starstruck, looked like she might faint. "Oh my God, Kai! You drink coffee here? We should totally tell the manager!" she exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Don't encourage him," Hana snapped, shooting her coworker a sharp look. She turned back to Kai, her arms crossed tightly. "For your information, we're not looking for a brand ambassador, especially one who causes chaos the moment he walks in."

Kai shrugged, his smirk growing. "Chaos? I didn't see anyone complaining except you."

Hana rolled her eyes so hard it felt like they might get stuck. "You didn't see it because you were busy hiding like a scared kid. Now, are you leaving, or are we going to have to rename this place Kai's Café?"

Kai chuckled, his relaxed demeanor unshaken. "You know, that's not a bad idea."

His words were interrupted as his phone buzzed in his pocket, cutting through the quiet empty café. He pulled it out, checked the screen, and sighed before answering. "Yeoboseyo? (Hello?)"

"Kai! Where are you?" his manager's frantic voice blared through the phone. "We just realized you didn't get into the van. We've been driving around trying to find you!"

Kai pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling heavily. "I'm at a café nearby. The fans were too much, so I slipped away," he explained, his tone calm despite the situation. "Don't worry. I'll wait here until you send the van to pick me up." He gave a quick description of the café's location before adding, "Just don't cause a scene, alright?"

There was a moment of exasperated muttering on the other end before the call disconnected. Kai slipped his phone back into his pocket, turning toward Hana and Jiwon. "Looks like I'll be waiting here briefly." He said with a wry smirk. "The company van is on its way."

Jiwon's face lift up as if she had won the lottery. "You're staying? Oh, please, make yourself comfortable! Sit here!" She darted over to a table by the window and practically pulled the chair out for him.

Kai raised an eyebrow at her enthusiasm but took the seat with a polite nod. "Thanks," he said, his tone smoother now, but his eyes flickered toward Hana, as if expecting another snarky comment. For some reason, he enjoys getting on her nerves.

Hana, already retreating behind the counter, let out a loud scoff, clearly unimpressed. "Jinjja?" she muttered under her breath. "As if he owns the place now." She grabbed a cloth and began wiping down the counter with exaggerated fervor, pretending not to care.

Jiwon, on the other hand, plopped into the seat across from Kai, her chin propped in her hands as she stared at him, starstruck. "Wow...," she breathed, her voice full of awe. "You're even more handsome in real life. Your skin is flawless!"

Kai chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. " Thank you." he said, clearly amused by her reaction. "But you don't have to stare so hard; I'm not going anywhere."

Jiwon giggled nervously, her cheeks turning pink. "It's just... I never imagined meeting someone like you in person. This is unreal."

Hana glanced over her shoulder, rolling her eyes at the exchange. "Unbelievable," she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she loudly placed a cup on the shelf.